Better security in the cloud

• Better security in the cloud
• Cloud vs. On-Premise
  • On-premise has only limited security
  • Cloud = the highest level of security
• Microsoft cloud or COSMO cloud?
  • The public Microsoft cloud
  • The private COSMO Cloud
  • Guaranteed security
• Security
• Data protection
• Compliance
• Audits & Certificates
• Availability
• Server locations

The cloud is where digital transformation takes place. Without the cloud many things would not be possible. Flexible working models would not be feasible. Modern technologies such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things would not work. Collaborating on projects or in vertical supply chains would be considerably more complicated.

Half of all large companies will move their ERP systems to the cloud by 2025 according to a study by Gartner, the market research institute. We can see a similar trend - with a certain time lag - in the SME sector. However, many companies are still finding it difficult to make the switch. If you ask why, the main reason given is security concerns.

This is understandable, because data security and system availability are so crucial to companies’ existence that even the slightest risk is out of the question. And yet, skepticism about the cloud is based only on a feeling. That diffuse feeling that you are losing control as soon as you let go of something in the real world. However, the danger does not really exist.

On the contrary, the annual losses suffered by companies due to cybercrime amount to 55 billion euros. Security specialists Radar Services estimate that this amount will increase by 300 percent by 2025 as attackers become increasingly professional. The key question is: Is your company, with your current technology and staff capacity, able to protect your data better than a security specialist like Microsoft?

Everyone who wants to operate a data center in Germany must comply with high legal standards. Companies' expectations are at least as high when it comes to the security, protection and availability of their data. All these requirements can only be met if massive investments are made in modern technologies and qualified staff. This is not just a one-time event, but needs to be done on an ongoing basis. Nothing else makes the differences between cloud and on-premise - installation on your own servers - clearer.

With an on-premise solution, your partners' responsibility ends when you go live. You are then responsible for operational security, data protection, ongoing updates and all kinds of back-ups. And you are also responsible for ensuring compliance with existing laws. This is a problem given the shortage of qualified staff available. Reliable data protection is possible, but the technologies are expensive and require special expertise. However, in many companies security is just one issue among many others that the IT department has to take care of.

In most countries, data center operators are responsible for the protection and security of stored data. Even negligence and ignorance can result in severe penalties. This, coupled with the loss of reputation should the smallest irregularity occur, puts pressure on cloud providers. Maximum security and compliance are therefore not just advertising promises, but part of the business model. In most cloud data centers, several teams are constantly working to adapt and optimize security measures. When competing for the best qualified experts, cloud providers often hold the best cards. They use sophisticated security technologies to identify deviations and suspicious activity at an early stage. That is much more than most businesses can do themselves.

COSMO CONSULT has two different cloud models: the Microsoft cloud and the COSMO cloud. Both services run on Microsoft Azure in on-premises data centers operated by Microsoft. They do not differ in terms of security, support or data availability. The only difference is that the cloud infrastructures follows different principles.

When you book cloud-based business solutions such as Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central or Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales, you are automatically working in the Microsoft cloud. The Microsoft cloud is a public cloud. That means that many users share the infrastructure provided. The resources are available to every company equally. Capacity and additional services can be booked in various plans. By direct comparison, the public cloud is the less expensive option. It is also the fastest option to set up and configure.

The COSMO cloud is a private cloud managed by COSMO CONSULT. In this private cloud, parts of the IT infrastructure and resources are made available solely to you. The basis for this is virtual capacity, which COSMO CONSULT books exclusively in Microsoft data centers. That means that the infrastructure provided can be tailored specifically to your respective operational requirements. The infrastructure can also be scaled up in stages or operated as a hybrid. There is also more flexibility for add-ons and individual extensions. That makes the COSMO Cloud the more flexible solution. However, this also results in higher costs because this infrastructure available exclusively to you.

The security level, availability and support are always the same, regardless of whether you book the Microsoft or COSMO Cloud. Whether the public or private cloud is a better fit for you thus depends on the operational requirements of your IT infrastructure.

In the cloud, security is the top priority. COSMO CONSULT books all the resources and capacities required to ensure this security with Microsoft, one of the leading providers of cloud infrastructure. This protects your data in the cloud against any unauthorized access. Microsoft makes use of secure processes that are in line with the latest industry standards. These standards ensure that the technologies used, the organization, and physical access to data are as secure as possible. The most important elements of this strategy include monitoring access points 24/7 and multi-level access controls with biometric and card-based recognition processes. There are also technologies for video surveillance and protection against break-ins and power outages. By its own account, Microsoft has invested over one billion US dollars in the security architecture of the Microsoft Azure cloud platform. Currently, there are more than 3,500 experts working to protect the system from new threats.

You control access and use of the stored data exclusively. Only your team can access, extract or delete the data. To ensure that no third party can see the data during transmission, transmission is protected with firewalls and modern encryption technologies. That means your team does not have to worry about any of that. Everything runs in the background silently. Accessing data in the cloud is just as easy and convenient as accessing data on your own hard drive.

The legal framework at the location of the data center applies for data in the cloud. Within the EU, this framework is the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation). All data centers operating in an EU country must comply with the regulations standardized in the GDPR. By international comparison, the GDPR is strict. That will not stop the EU from further tightening individual regulations, however. Naturally, Microsoft operates in compliance with the legal framework in its European data centers. Users can thus prove full compliance with all legal requirements at any time.

Trust is good; controls are better. This idea is especially true when it comes to the protection and security of sensitive business data. Microsoft's data centers are based on state-of-the-art technologies. They are managed by proven IT experts and meet all current technical standards at the highest level. This has been confirmed by internationally recognized organizations in independent audits that regularly certify Microsoft data centers.

Microsoft guarantees up to 99.99% availability. Data centers in the Microsoft cloud thus achieve better numbers than a server on your own premises. These top numbers are possible through sophisticated safety technology: For example, redundant power supplies and efficient cooling systems provide strong protection during emergencies. There are also parallel server structures at different locations. This ensures access to business data even if there are regional outages, for example, outages due to natural disasters.

The European GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) means that Europe has particularly restrictive data protection legislation. Other countries are more lax about data protection or leave backdoors open for intelligence services and industrial espionage. This is true even for the USA. Because of the large differences between international locations, it is best to ensure that sensitive data remains in Europe or, even better, remains in Germany. Business data in the Microsoft or COSMO Cloud is stored exclusively in German Microsoft data centers. Internationally active companies can also add storage capacities in those countries in which they do business. That ensures that sensitive information remains in one place and is subject only to local jurisdiction.